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The County’s first Flood Resilience plan provides:

• A clear set of recommendations and practical steps:
  • to help individuals, property owners, businesses, non-governmental organizations, and government agencies across the county to improve flood resilience, and
  • that augment traditional flood mitigation projects by considering programs, policies, nature-based solutions, and community capacity building.
• And, YOU! Your voice matters! Your thoughts and priorities will be reflected in the plan.

• Public meetings will take place in late summer and early fall 2025
• The Plan will be completed before February 2027

CHECK BACK FOR MEETING DATES & LOCATIONS 

Through its active involvement with the IRT, HCOHSEM continues to advance the Flood Resilience Plan (FRP) efforts and its strategies by supporting comprehensive coordination across disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, while also leading impactful public education and outreach.

Aligned with our mission to protect lives, strengthen communities, and support recovery, HCOHSEM initiatives that enhance flood resilience and the ongoing work of partnering agencies throughout Harris County include:

• Ready Harris Alerts - This service allows you to opt-in to receive notifications via phone calls, text messaging, e-mail and more based on locations you care about. You can choose to receive notifications about events that may affect your home, workplace, school, and more. During a major event or emergency, important updates will be sent via ReadyHarris Alerts. This can include, but is not limited to, severe weather events, hazardous material emergencies, evacuation orders, and law enforcement activity. Throughout the year we will also provide seasonal preparedness tips and information to keep you informed.

• Read Harris Accessible Alerts and Accessible Preparedness and Safety Videos - Making vital emergency information inclusive and accessible to all residents. Harris County Alert subscribers in an area affected by an emergency or disaster will be able to receive an accessible alert message in American Sign Language (ASL) and English voice and text. The alert message could include information about the emergency and what actions to take. Harris County will send accessible alert messages to internet and video capable devices such as computers, mobile phones, and tablet computers. These Alerts are also Braille reader accessible.

• Community Emergency Response Team Training (CERT) and Teen CERT - Training residents to support neighbors and strengthen local capacity. In 2023, a milestone of more than 50,000 trained individuals was reached.

• ReadyHarris Kids: Kids Preparedness Activity Booklet - Intended to educate kids about different types of disasters and how to create an emergency kit. The book helps families create a communication plan, encouraging children to memorize their name, address, guardians’ names, phone numbers, and more.

• Multilingual Educational Materials (Emergency Preparedness Guide, Hurricane Brochures, Emergency Essentials Checklist), each available in 5 languages

• 2025 Harris County Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan Update - Harris County is vulnerable to many natural hazards including flooding, hurricanes, tropical storms, wildfires, and tornadoes. These hazards threaten the safety of residents and have the potential to damage property, disrupt the local economy, and impact on the quality of life of Harris County residents. While we cannot eliminate natural hazards, hazard mitigation planning identifies ways to reduce the risk of these hazards. To meet federal requirements, the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management and participating entities are updating the Harris County Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan before the current plan expires in July 2025. The information on this website is intended as a reference for our mitigation planning partners and the public. The DRAFT plan has been submitted to FEMA for their review and approval.

By keeping communities informed through timely and accurate alerts and warnings, training residents through the CERT programs, engaging youth in preparedness, and ensuring resources are accessible in multiple languages and formats, we are building a stronger foundation of resilience that reduces risk before disasters happen. HCOHSEM will continue driving forward the Flood Resilience Plan by expanding education, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring that preparedness, response, and recovery strategies meet the needs of all residents. 

Community input will continue to shape priorities and guide actions, ensuring that the Flood Resilience Plan reflects the needs and values of the people it serves.

Take the Survey Today

Your experience with flooding in Harris County is vital to the development of the Flood Resilience Plan. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and share your experience with flooding in Harris County. Click HERE to fill out the survey and share your experience.

You can sign up to receive newsletters, project updates and upcoming meetings. Click HERE to provide your contact information.

HCOHSEM is a national model of best practices in emergency planning, preparation, response, and recovery. HCOHSEM helps prepare, safeguard, and protect the residents and property of Harris County from the effects of disasters through effective planning, preparation, response, and recovery activities. To accomplish this mission, we will:

• Develop, maintain, and coordinate a comprehensive emergency management plan.
• Activate and staff an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate and support efforts to respond to, and recover from, emergencies and disasters.
• Develop and assist in the delivery of effective public outreach programs.
• Collect, provide, and disseminate information for elected officials, the media, our residents, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Train, educate, and prepare for emergencies through the development, and delivery of effective classes, drills, and exercises.